ED30620

Module Identifier	ED30620
Module Title	MEDIA EDUCATION
Academic Year	2000/2001
Co-ordinator	Dr Daniel Chandler
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-Requisite	ED10510 and/or ED30520 (recommended but not compulsory)
Course delivery	Workshop	10 Hours 10 x 2 hours (plus Reading Week)
Assessment	Course work	Assignment(s) totalling 5,000 words (or reasonable equivalent)	100%
	Resit assessment	Where the module is failed, an assignment which has fallen below a mark which is equivalent to the pass mark for the module must be re-submitted.
Further details	http://www.aber.ac.uk/education/Undgrad/ED30620/ed30620.html

Aims of the module

To outline prevailing agendas in media education;
To examine semiotic approaches;
To outline Marxist influences in media theory;
To discuss current classroom practices in media education.

Learning outcomes
Students successfully completing this module should be able:

To identify key themes in media education;
To apply basic semiotic approaches to media analysis;
To reflect critically on current practices in media education;
To suggest appropriate classroom strategies and resources for media education at particular phases of education.

Brief description
This module is concerned with the theme of learning and teaching about the various mass media: TV, video, film, radio, newspapers, magazines, comics, posters etc. What is Media Education? Why should we teach students about the mass media? Which of the media should we be studying? How is Media Studies taught in schools and colleges? At what age does media education begin? What do children learn about the media in the classroom and outside it? What fundamental concepts should be taught to students of the mass media? What unifying themes are there? What constitutes 'good practice' in classroom teaching about the media, and who says so? How do theories of practice in media education differ? Should teachers be aiming to 'defend' students against media manipulation? Is 'Film Study' elitist? Are all media educators 'trendy lefties', and if not, why not? What contribution might the study of popular media make to educating the educators about the nature and value of youth subcultures?

Students are offered a practical introduction to the application of semiotics to media education and are also assisted in interpreting theorists of media education who have widely adopted semiotic and marxist theoretical assumptions about the mass media.

Syllabus
The lectures are based on the following:

What is Media Education?
Models of the sign
Syntagm and paradigm
Codes (1)
Codes (2)
Key Themes
Representation 1
Representation 2
Media Audiences
Neo-Marxist approaches

The tutorials provide opportunities for students to investigate and discuss themes from the lectures.